We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, but living in paradise can also present challenges!

Please join us when UCSC Professor Gary Griggs discusses the fascinating natural disaster history of the Monterey Bay, from earthquakes and landslides to floods, droughts, El Ninos, and cliff erosion as described in his new book entitled Between Paradise and Peril.

From 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Patrick J. Fitz Wetlands Education and Resource Center located at the top of Pajaro Valley High School at 500 Harkins Slough Road, Watsonville, CA, 95076. This is a free event, but seating is limited so please register ahead of time.

About Gary Griggs: Gary is in his 51st year as a Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz. He also served as the Director of the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences for the past 26 years, where he led the development of a Coastal Science Campus. His research, teaching and writing have been focused on the coast of California and include coastal processes, hazards, and sea-level rise.

Please join us when Dr. Kerstin Wasson presents: From Oysters to Otters: Elkhorn Slough Ecology and How Estuarine Ecosystems are Changing.

This presentation provides an introduction to estuaries in general and Elkhorn Slough in particular, highlighting the habitats and biodiversity of this Central Coast gem. Four types of threats that face Elkhorn Slough, and many wetlands, will be discussed including hydrological alterations, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. For each, positive actions by conservation organizations and steps that individuals can take will be highlighted. Finally, trends in selected biological indicators will be examined including salt marsh, oysters, shorebirds and sea otters. Citizen scientists will be celebrated for helping to collect much of the data being used to track the health of Elkhorn Slough.

About Dr. Kerstin Wasson: Kerstin has been the Research Coordinator at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in Central California for over 18 years. She is passionate about both oyster and salt marsh restoration, and has conducted many experiments on both. In addition to local, place-based work, Kerstin has led major collaborative projects across the network of National Estuarine Reserve Reserves. This spring, she was honored as a “National Wetland Hero” by the Environmental Law Institute. She nominated Elkhorn Slough as a wetland of international importance, and this fall, the estuary was designated as the 39th Ramsar site in the US.